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Clinical Trial
. 1996 Dec;55(3):273-9.
doi: 10.1016/s0020-7292(96)02770-1.

Serum alpha L-fucosidase enzyme activity in ovarian and other female genital tract tumors

H Abdel-Aleem  1 , A Ahmed, A M Sabra, M Zakhari, M Soliman, H Hamed
Affiliations
Clinical Trial

Serum alpha L-fucosidase enzyme activity in ovarian and other female genital tract tumors

H Abdel-Aleem et al. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 1996 Dec.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the value of serum alpha-L-fucosidase as a tumor marker in the diagnosis of ovarian and other female genital tract tumors.

Methods: One-hundred fifty-one patients were studied; 101 had different genital tract tumors (malignant ovarian tumors (48), carcinoma of the cervix (13), endometrial carcinoma (6), carcinoma of the vulva (6) and benign tumors (28)). A control group of 50 healthy female patients was included. Serum alpha-L-fucosidase activity was determined in all patients and controls. Serum CA 125 level was also determined in patients with malignant ovarian tumors.

Results: patients with malignant ovarian tumors showed the lowest level of alpha-L-fucosidase activity in comparison to other malignant and benign tumors of the female genital tract and also in comparison to malignant ovarian tumors.

Results: Patients with malignant ovarian tumors showed the lowest level of alpha-L-fucosidase activity in comparison to other malignant and benign tumors of the female genital tract and also in comparison to control group. The majority of ovarian carcinoma patients (90%) had a serum level of < 275 u/ml of alpha-L-fucosidase activity, while more than 90% of the control group and other genital tumors had a serum level of > 275 u/ml. The sensitivity and specificity of serum alpha-L-fucosidase activity in diagnosing epithelial ovarian tumors were 88.5% and 98%, respectively (using a cut-off level of < 275 u/ml). The corresponding figures for CA 125 were 96.2% and 100% (using a cut-off level of > 35 u/ml).

Conclusions: Serum alpha-L-fucosidase enzyme activity can be useful as a tumor marker in diagnosing advanced malignant epithelial ovarian tumors. Its sensitivity and specificity are comparable to CA 125. However, there is a lack of data to support its usefulness in the diagnosis of early stage disease (Stage 1). The cost of doing the test is one-third that of CA 125 and the test can be more widely applied in developing countries.

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